Most cameras only record a view within a small viewing angle. Thus, a typical conventional camera only captures an image in the direction that the camera is aimed. Such conventional cameras force viewers to look only at what the camera operator chooses to focus on.
Panoramic cameras capture a much wider field of field. A panoramic camera constructed using an optical "fish-eye" lens may capture at most a 210 degree field of view. A panoramic camera constructed with a catadioptric lens captures a full 360 degree panoramic image. With a large panoramic field of view, individual panoramic image viewers can decide what they will focus on.
Conventional images are often delivered by electronic means. For example, television and the Internet deliver conventional images across wired and wireless electronic media. However, there are no standard means of delivering panoramic images electronically. Since panoramic images are so large, it is difficult to deliver panoramic images using conventional image transmission techniques. To further compound the problem, motion panoramic images require a very high bandwidth channel for electronic distribution. Thus, it would be desirable to have an electronic distribution system that efficiently distributes motion panoramic image information.